4 million children now live in households on Universal Credit
- New official data shows that the number of children in low-income families receiving universal credit has risen to four million.
- According to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), this is half a million more than this time last year.
- It is estimated that 800,000 children live in poverty but miss out on free school meals because their parents earn more than £7400 a year, excluding benefits.
- The Independent’s ‘Feed the Future’ campaign urges the government to help more children with free school meals by including those on Universal Credit, who are currently exempt from the scheme.
- For more on this story, please visit the Independent’s website.
Awaab Ishak: Toddler’s mould death unacceptable
- Housing secretary Michael Gove has said that the death of a toddler living with mould in his home is an “unacceptable tragedy”.
- Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died of a respiratory condition caused by the mould in his family home.
- Awaab’s father repeatedly raised this issue with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing but no action was taken.
- The minister said the government was bringing forward legislation to ensure housing associations responsible for providing social housing are “held to account”.
- For more on this story, please visit the BBC News website.
Special schools in NI may close during nurses’ strike
- Some special schools may have to consider closing in the event of strike action by nurses.
- This comes from guidance on school closures from the Department of Education.
- Nurses across the UK have recently voted to strike over pay with action expected to start by the end of the year.
- Nurses work in some special schools which have pupils with profound disabilities or life-limiting conditions.
- To find out more, go to the BBC’s website.
